Repatriate
by Sperare
Summary: Spoilers for Exile! Clark has come back from four years of exile. Some things have changed and the decisions he made before he left have have had some interesting results. CLANA
1. Visitor for Chloe

"Clark?" She simply could not believe it. Standing in the door of my office was her best friend who had gone AWOL four years ago in the summer before their junior year of high school. "Clark, you're back. Where have you been? Oh my gosh!"

Chloe jumped up from her desk at the Daily Planet and embraced him. "What happened?" she demanded, pulling away to look him in the face.

The first thing that she noticed was that he looked older, but still quite young and there was a quality of almost sadness upon his face. "It's a long story," he said simply.

"I have nothing to do for the rest of the afternoon," she pointed out.

"Aren't you working?"

"I'm off in five. Quitting now won't kill anyone."

He shrugged. "Alright, but don't put yourself out on my account."

"Clark, what is wrong with you? You've been gone for almost four years and you act like it's a chore for me to take off five minutes of work to talk to you?" she said incuriously, her face alight in a smile.

"It's been a long time, Chloe. I can never be sure what's changed and what hasn't," he shot back with a wry smile.

"Have you been to see Lana and-"

"No, not yet."

Chloe froze. He didn't know. The look on his face told her that much. Anxiously she swallowed and tried to regroup the pieces of her mind that had been blown to bits when Clark had walked in. "How about your parents?"

"No."

"Lex?"

"No."

"Anyone?"

"You're the first one I came to see, Chloe."

She nodded. "Alright." Her tone became more serious. "Really, Clark, where have you been all this time?"

"The first summer I was here in Metropolis. Then I went overseas to Europe and even a little of Asia. Italy was especially nice."

"You just upped and left for no reason?" she asked, her jaw dropping.

"I had my reasons, Chloe."

Holding out her hands wide for emphasis she demanded, "Like what?"

His expression turned to one of pain. "It was my fault that my mother lost the baby."

"What? Clark, you can't blame yourself for that! I'm sure whatever happened was an accident."

Clark nodded, his lips drawn thin and his expression very much mirroring one of a man who was trying desperately hard not to cry-a man who had carried pain and guilt with him for far too long. "If it hadn't been for Lex my parents would have lost the farm because of me."

"They were in debt way before you left."

"I slept with Lana and I knew that if I didn't leave I'd hurt her even more then I would if I left."

"I don't think that's true, Clark. She still loves you, even now."

"She's not married?"

"No, in fact she's living in Smallville in the apartment above the talon, although she's practically at your parent's-your house-every day."

Clark ran a hand over his hair and sighed. "I thought she'd be married."

Chloe's eyes widened even further as comprehension dawned on her. "Is that why you stayed away this long-because you were hoping she'd be unavailable to you when you got back?"

He shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded. "I would have thought that she'd have moved on. I don't trust myself to see her again and not try to rekindle something. I can't do that. My secrets will tear her apart."

"Actaully, Clark, I don't think you have to worry about that."

"Yes I do. My secrets are-look, I just can't."

"What, your secrets along the lines of being an alien, having x-ray and heat vision, speed, and strength? I'm curious, Clark, can you do anything else yet?"

Clark's jaw practically hit the ground. "How did you know?"

"Let's just say that all the people who were close to you got a very big hint."

"What?" He shook his head. "Who else knows?"

"Lana and Lex."

"This isn't possible. Lana maybe, but I think my dad would have taken a shotgun to Lex before he let him find out."

"Let's just say some things have changed. If it makes you feel any better it was your parents who told them."

Clark raised an eyebrow. "No way! They'd never do that."

"Never apparently just got shorter."

"What happened that would possibly convince my father and mother to tell all of you my secret?"

Chloe put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. "I think that it's time you took a long overdo trip to Smallville."


	2. Surprises

Twenty minutes and a lot of convincing on Chloe's part later, found them in a car headed for Smallville. "Chloe, please, can't you just tell me what's going on? I don't want to walk into my house and be blown away."

"This is your mess, Clark, and it's not my place to tell you exactly what you dirtied."

Clark sighed and resumed staring out the window. Three hours later they were pulling into the driveway of the Kent farm. Chloe chanced a look over at Clark and couldn't help but feel a little smug about it. He had no idea what was about to happen.

She parked the car in the driveway but Clark made no move to get out. "Chloe-,"

"Look, Clark, just open the door, walk up the steps, and walk into the kitchen. I guarantee that you'll be welcomed back."

"I'm not sure I want to be."

"I think you will when you see what you left behind."

"I hate it when you're cryptic like this."

"Then go see what I'm being cryptic about and I'll stop."

He glanced over at her, sighed, and rolled his eyes. "You just never quit, do you?"

"I'm a journalist, Clark," she reminded him wryly.

He rolled his eyes again, opened the car door and stepped out. For him the walk to his house was probably the longest that he'd ever taken. He heard Chloe get out of the car and follow behind him.

After what seemed like years he got to the door and pushed it open gently. "Mom? Dad?" he called softly. He was about to turn around and walk back out when a reply rang out. "Clark? Oh my gosh, Clark, is that you?" he heard his mother practically shriek.

Footsteps echoed in the halls and suddenly his mother was wrapping her arms around him, crying and carrying on at the same time. "Oh, baby, we love you so much. We've missed you. We're so glad you're home. Oh, Clark."

He hugged her back and whispered, "It's ok, Mom. I'm home."

More arms wrapped around him and he looked up into his father's face. "Clark, son-," his voice broke and his father began to cry too. His father-Jonathan Kent-the strongest man that he knew was crying.

They stood like that for a few minutes until Clark looked over his dad's shoulder and lost his breath. Lana. She was there just standing in the doorway, tears streaming down her cheeks. Silently, she mouthed "Clark". He silently released his parents and started forward towards her. "Clark," she said, this time with words. "I've missed you so much."

He stopped in front of her and there was a slight pause before he wrapped his arms around her and she began to cry into her chest. Burying his face in her hair, he let the tears run as well. He was aware that he was doing just what he had told Chloe that he hadn't wanted to, but at the moment he didn't much care.

He had planned on standing there like that for a good long time, but a tiny soft voice startled him out of his revere. "Mommy, who's that?"

Clark raised his head from Lana's hair and looked down. Before him was a small girl, perhaps three at the most. Her hair was long and dark, with just the right texture and thickness to be absolutely breathtaking. But it was her eyes that got him. He knew them well, for they were the ones that stared back at him everyday when he looked in the mirror.

He raised his eyes back up from the little girl to Lana's face. "Lana?"

"Clark, this is Rose."

"Lana, how?"

"You know how, Clark."

Clark's face became a wash of guilt. "Lana, if I'd know, oh, I would have been home so much sooner-I never would have left!"

Lana brought a hand up to Clark's face and gently pushed his hair back. "I know." She paused and then took a deep breath. "But that doesn't matter now because you're here."

Clark nodded and shot a glance back at his parents and Chloe, who were all smiling slightly, although Chloe had a hint of an I-told-you-so look on her face. He nodded decisively. "Yes, I am, and I'm not leaving."

"Momma, what's going on?" Rose asked impatiently, but with the obvious air of a little girl trying to be good in the presence of company. Lana pulled away from Clark, knelt down, and picked Rose up.

"Rose, I want you to meet your father."

Rose's eyes became wide as saucers. "You're the one that Momma's told me all the stories about?" She looked at Clark as if sizing him up for a moment. "Mommy's right; I do have your hair and eyes."

Clark actually laughed. "I'm sorry that I wasn't here sooner," he said softly, reaching out and touching the little girl's soft dark curls. She smiled and grabbed his hand.

In a matter-of-fact tone she told him, "That's all right! Momma told me that you had some very important things to do and that you loved me very much and you'd come home when you could."

Clark swallowed heavily and nodded. "I do love you very much, Rose." He glanced up at Lana. "Both you and your Mom."

Lana smiled and locked eyes with Clark. "Mommy, you said you'd take me over to Uncle Lex's today! He said that I could play outside in the garden today since it was supposed to be nice out!"

Lana grinned at the slightly shocked look on Clark's face at hearing his best friend being addressed as "Uncle Lex". Still looking at Clark she said, "I think it would be a good idea if we all went over. I think that Daddy and Uncle Lex have some catching up to do."

Clark sighed. Seeing Lex again, especially when he'd been playing truant from a family with daughter he hadn't known about for the past four years, wasn't going to be easy. The fact that Lex knew more about his daughter than he did was pretty unnerving.

He sighed. He supposed he'd have to face the mess he'd made sometime. "Yeah, let's go see Uncle Lex."


	3. Visiting Friends

The ride over to Lex's house was one of the strangest things that Clark had ever experienced. Chloe had offered to give the family a little time alone, so she had gone over to stay with her dad for awhile. It was long over do visit anyway, she had said.

Jonathan drove the truck, with Lana squeezed in next to him with Rose on her lap. Next to her Clark was sandwiched with Martha on the far side. How strange it felt to him to have Lana in such close proximity to him again. He desperately wanted to talk to her, to find out just what she knew, but he knew that now was not the time; that would come later behind closed doors.

All through the ride his mother kept going on and on about how happy she was to have him back and what had happened since he'd been gone. Occasionally Lana or Jonathan would add in to her running commentary. Rose also chattered away, making everyone laugh.

Rose. How strange it was to see his daughter that he hadn't even known up until a few hours existed, sitting on the lap of the woman he loved next to him. It was even stranger to see his own eyes looking back at him. She looked like a perfect blend of Lana and he and it was unnerving to him.

The truck continued to rattle down the road and when it hit a particularly large bump Clark was tossed into Lana. They were already touching due to the cramped space of the cab, but this touch was electric and Clark could have sworn that he shuddered. It was like falling in love all over again with someone you'd never stopped loving.

The short ride ended when the truck pulled up to the gates of the mansion. Jonathan stuck his head out the window and said something to the security. It took almost no time at all and that surprised Clark; he thought he was the only one who would ever have the privilege of being so close to Lex without actually living in his house that the guards would let him in so easily.

As the truck sped up the drive Clark felt his heart rate increase. Seeing Lex again was going to be so strange. He knew Lex and he knew that he wouldn't have approved of Clark taking the easy way out by leaving.

They parked and got out of the car. Clark knew from experience that Lex would already have been informed that they were there and a servant would probably be at the door to escort them to wherever Lex wanted to meet them. His assumptions were correct.

The servant led the Kents and Lana upstairs to Lex's office. Clark was amazed when he saw how completely unchanged the office was. The desk, the pool table, and the couches- it was all still there.

He felt a gentle squeeze on his arm and looked up to see his Mom. "I know this is hard, honey," she whispered, "but you've got to understand how happy everyone is to have you home."

Clark nodded and swallowed, thankful for his mother's comfort. He didn't think she really had any idea just how hard this was, but he was still appreciative of her empathy.

He felt her tug on his arm and guide him over to the couch where he sat next to her and Lana. Rose was sitting on Lana's lap, but kept frequently glancing up at Clark's face in keen interest.

After what seemed like hours, but was only about two minutes the doors to the room swung open and Lex strode into the room. His eyes immediately fell on Clark.

The shocked look in his eyes clearly told Clark that Lex hadn't known that he had been with his parents at the gate. He imagined that he'd probably been identified as someone with the Kents and that had been the extent of it. "Clark?" Lex asked slowly, as if he wasn't sure if he could believe it or not.

Clark felt himself stand up. He and Lex moved forward together and embraced. "Clark, it's been a while." His voice was soft, as if he thought this was far too good to be true.

"I-It's good to see you, Lex."

The two broke apart and moved back a little. Lana had gotten to her feet while the two had been meeting. Rose followed. Looking up at Clark she asked, "Daddy, where were you? Mommy always said you had important things to do. What were they?"

Clark was in complete rapture at the innocence in his daughter's eyes. Before him was simply a little girl, not questioning the reasons her mother had given her for her father's disappearance, asking only what he had been doing that had been so important. She was not accusing; she was simply innocent.

Clark knelt down and took his daughter's little hands in his own. "Rose, I am very sorry that I've been away for so long. I just want you to know that I'm not going to leave again and that I'm very, very sorry I did in the first place."

She cocked her head and said quite seriously. "I'm glad your back, Daddy." Then she leaned into Clark and wrapped her arms around his midsection. Clark froze momentarily in the strangeness of the embrace before hugging her back.

After a few seconds he let her go and she moved away, not aware that this was anything special or that other people's daddies didn't usually simply up and leave for the first few years of their daughter's life before reappearing around their third birthday.

He felt a hand on his arm and again and looked up to see Lana. She was smiling gently at him. "Come on, Rose, honey. I think that Daddy needs some time alone with Uncle Lex."

"Can we go in the garden?" she asked hopefully.

Lana nodded. "Yes, but only if you promise not to ruin the flower beds again."

"Ok," she agreed. "Cross my heart and hope to die," she added, drawing an invisible cross over her heart.

Clark chuckled softly and watched as his parents, Lana, and Rose walked out of the office.


	4. Talk With Lex

As soon as they were gone Lex spoke. "What happened, Clark?"

Clark turned to face him. "Gosh, I feel so guilty!" He gestured towards the door that his family had gone out of. "I got Lana pregnant, she had a beautiful baby girl and I wasn't there for her through any of it! I abandoned my daughter for the first few years of her life. If I'd known, Lex, if I'd known…" His voice trailed off and he sank down on the couch, his head in his hands.

Lex sat down beside him. "You didn't know that you had a daughter."

"Hell, no! If I'd known that I'd have been home so fast no matter what I'd done previously."

"You can't blame yourself for your mom loosing the baby."

"But, Lex, it was my fault."

"It wasn't intentional."

"But I still did it."

Lex sighed and ran a hand over his head. "Is that why you ran away?"

"It was a big part of it, but it wasn't the only thing."

Lex cocked and eyebrow. "There's more?"

Clark looked up at him and Lex thought that he'd never seen his friend look so weary in his life. "My parents don't know either."

"What happened then?"

Clark's face twisted as if he was in pain at the memory. "I went down in the storm cellar and the ship-I assume you know about the ship?" He proceeded when Lex nodded. "It-It came alive with my father's spirit and it told me that I had to leave Smallville in a certain time limit or that I'd bring pain to those I loved. Then it sort of…branded me on the chest with a Kryptonian symbol. Of course I didn't listen and tried to destroy the ship. It exploded and killed the baby. I missed your wedding. I hurt Chloe by her seeing me making out with Lana. I had to leave; I was afraid I'd bring more pain if I didn't."

Lex looked at him with a kind of quiet understanding. "I never could believe that your motives were truly selfish." He was silent for a moment before asking, "What made you come back?"

"Two days ago the symbol on my chest disappeared. That's when I figured that I was finally allowed to come home without anything happening to those I loved."

Lex sighed. "Four years. How did you do it, Clark? How could you stand to be away from those you loved for that long?"

"I made sure that I didn't see or hear anything about them. That's why I didn't know that I had a daughter."

Lex nodded. "I'm glad you're home, Clark."

Clark gave him a small smile. "Me too." A look of contemplativeness came over his face. "How did you get my parents to tell you all this?"

Lex smiled and chuckled. "Lana found out first. Her pregnancy was, um…slightly unusual. I was of course there when Rose was born and have been around since. I didn't know a thing about any of it until Rose's first birthday party when she accidentally threw her rattle up through the ceiling of the first floor and into the second floor. You're parents explained things after that incident."

Clark's jaw dropped. "She's got my powers."

"She's got the strength. The rest hasn't developed yet."

"Oh my gosh! And I wasn't here to help! What would have happened if she'd gotten really angry? She could have hurt Lana or my parents, or you!" Clark stood up and ran a hand through his hair. "I can't believe that I did this."

Lex grabbed his arm and pulled him back into a sitting position. "But she didn't, Clark. Besides, your parents raised you without any injuries. Rose is a good girl; she hardly ever has real tantrums and when she does Lana is very adept at handling them."

Clark was staring blankly at the wall. Finally he turned to look at Lex. "You have no idea how weird it is to be gone four years and come back to find that you have a daughter."

Lex smirked. "What?" Clark asked suspiciously.

"You've got no idea how strange it is to find out that your best friend who's the poster boy for good virtues slept with his high school girlfriend in his sophomore year and got her pregnant. It got even better when said girlfriend had a baby who tossed a rattle through the ceiling. It really hit a new high on my scale when my friend's parents informed me that my friend is actually an alien with superpowers."

Clark tried to keep a straight face but failed miserable. He put a hand over his mouth to hide his smile. "Yeah that might be a bit shocking."

The two laughed for a moment before Clark stopped and gave Lex a serious look. "Look, Lex, all kidding aside, I really am sorry."

Lex nodded. "I know, but I honestly think that it's Lana that you should be talking to. I may be your best friend, but she's the girl you love."

Clark nodded. "I know you're right, but I just don't know what to say."

Lex stood up, pulling Clark with him. "You'll figure it out," he assured him before pulling him towards the door, intent on taking him out to the garden to see Lana.


	5. Talk With Lana

They walked out to the garden and stood at its edge for a moment, just watching. Everyone seemed to be playing what looked like a game of tag. Clark couldn't help but smile. "Thanks for looking out for everyone, Lex," he said quietly.

Lex returned his smile. "It was no problem. You've got the most wonderful little girl, Clark."

Clark grinned and raised an eyebrow. "Uncle Lex?"

Laughing, Lex replied, "It was Lana's idea. I always said that you were closer to me than any brother!"

Clark laughed as well and then quieted when Lana noticed them and started over. Seeing her, Lex volunteered, "Lana, why don't you go for a walk with Clark and I'll take over watching Rose."

As Lana reached them she smiled. "Yeah, that'd be great. Clark and I have a lot of things to talk about."

Lex gave Clark a slight nod and walked off. Lana and Clark turned and began to walk. As soon as they were out of everyone's earshot the first thing that Clark said was, "Lana, I'm so sorry. If I'd known-,"

Lana put a hand on his arm. "Hey, it's Ok. I won't lie and say that it wasn't hard raising a kid on my own but Lex, Chloe, and your parents were great. The whole abilities thing has made stuff a little tough at times, but what can I say, your parents have lots of experience."

Clark gave her a sad smile. "Rose is beautiful."

"Yeah she is," Lana agreed.

"When did you find out that you were, you know...pregnant?"

"About a month after you left."

"I guess that whole picnic under the tree thing probably shouldn't have happened."

"No, I'm glad it did. I'd never take back having Rose."

"Lana, I don't know how to really say this, but, um, I-my feelings for you haven't changed. You always told me that I should be open and honest about what I'm feeling and I guess that right now I feel that if I don't tell you that I'll loose you."

Lana slipped her hand into his. "I'm glad that you're back, Clark. I'm really glad. I do have one question, though."

"Ask away," he consented.

"Why did you leave? I know about your mom loosing the baby, but I can't help but think that there must be some other reason or you'd have come back sooner."

Clark sighed. "My father's voice inside the ship told me that I had to leave or that I'd bring disaster to everyone that I loved. I disobeyed and I did bring disaster. Before I left it branded me on the chest. I carried that brand until a few days ago. That's when I finally knew it was safe to come home."

Stepping in front of him, Lana put a hand on his chest to stop him from walking on. "I'm so happy that you're back and I want you to know that I don't blame you for leaving."

"But I blame myself for being gone so long and leaving you to raise our daughter all on your own."

"Clark, don't...I've got a good life! I've got the best child anyone could ask for, the most supportive in-laws, I make a really good income from the talon-its really taken off by the way-and I'm happy. I'm happier now that you're back."

He leaned down to kiss her. "I'm here to stay."

"Good," she murmured against his lips. So slowly that Clark could barely grasp it, she ran her tongue along his lower lip and slipped it inside. Before he knew what was happening they were making out passionately along the walkway of Lex's garden.

Lana was the one that finally broke it apart. "Clark?"

"Emm, yeah?"

"I think just because we were out of earshot didn't mean that we were out of eyeshot."

Clark turned his head to see the small group on the other side of the garden watching.

"Oh...I guess you're right."

Lana giggled. "Want to give an encore?"

"Our daughter's over there. Isn't that like corrupting her or something?"

He got his answer when she recovered his mouth with hers. Breaking apart, he murmured, "Guess not," as he trailed kisses down her neck.

"She's going to be educated before she even gets to school," Lana noted with a moan.

"Wouldn't have it any other way, but seriously, we should take this else where."

The two drew apart and continued through the garden. After a little walk they ended up by the pond that Clark recalled his fight with Shawn, the heat sucking menace, years ago. Pushing those thoughts aside, he guided Lana over to a bench and sat her down. "So much has changed, Lana," he told her.

"I know, but some things never will."

"How can you just take me back like this?" he asked. "I left you here all alone."

"You didn't know, Clark. Besides what do you want me to do? Do you want me to tell you to take your sorry butt back to Metropolis? I think that your parents, Lex, and Chloe would kill me if I did. You're parents missed their son and Lex and Chloe missed their best friend."

"I-thank you."

"So what did you do exactly in Metropolis?"

"Some things I'm not proud of," he mumbled.

Lana's eyes darkened slightly. "Please, Clark, no secrets or lies-not anymore."

He took a deep breath and sighed. "I don't want how you view me to change."

"That's always what you said when I was prying about your abilities. That hasn't changed how I look at you."

"Lana-"

"No, Clark. If you want this relationship to work you can't keep things from me."

He sighed and wrung his hands. "That crime spree back the year I left-that was me."

"That was you?" she asked, completely aghast.

He looked away. "See, you're looking at me like I'm different from the guy that you knew."

Lana reached over and pulled him in for a kiss. When she let go so looked up into his eyes. "Clark, are experiences make us who we are. Even if you hadn't told me I would have reaped the effects of what you did. Either way you are changed by it and therefore it will affect me. I think that the key is to look at what it did to you, rather than what you did."

"What do you mean?" he asked, very confused.

"I think it's made you a better person. Therefore, I choose to look at the effects of what you did on you, rather then what you did."

"Lana?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"It's good to have you back, Clark."

Simultaneously they both leaned in together on the bench. Lana snuggled up against Clark and together they simply sat and looked out at the small pond. Lana was right, Clark decided. He had made some mistakes, but he was here now and that was what mattered. He had a beautiful daughter, great parents, wonderful friends, and most importantly-the girl of his dreams curled up against him, having forgiven him for his transgressions and willing to give their life together a second chance. Yes, Clark decided, it was good to be home.

**THE END**


End file.
